North Andover Approves Resident's Application To Fly Palestinian Flag

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The North Andover Select Board has approved a resident's application to fly the Palestinian flag on the town green, NBC-10 Boston reported.

The application requested the flag be raised until Dec. 7.

The town said in a statement that it is changing its flag policy. The old policy, which the Palestinian flag request was filed under, legally requires the Select Board to make "content-neutral decisions" on which flags to raise. Under this policy, denying a resident's flag application could put the town in legal jeopardy, according to the town.

The new policy, however, does not allow for residents to submit an application to raise a flag.

The town said the Palestinian flag request will be the last to be considered under the old policy.

The resident's application to fly the Palestinian flag comes after the town raised an Israeli flag on the common following the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

The Select Board had canceled a meeting earlier this month when the flag issue was scheduled to be discussed. The board canceled the meeting due to threats of litigation as well as public safety concerns.

The matter went to Town Counsel for review.

At the Select Board meeting Monday, dozens of people went to North Andover High School to voice their opinions for and against the flag-raising, WHDH 7-News reported.

North Andover is not the only community where there's been controversy over the response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. A Palestinian flag was raised outside of Worcester City Hall recently.

Earlier in October, the Worcester City Council passed a resolution to denounce the kidnapping of Israelis by terror group Hamas. The resolution followed the Oct. 7 Hamas attack from Gaza where some 1,400 Israelis were killed and as many as 250 people taken hostage.

However, some criticized the resolution for failing to mention atrocities in Gaza.

In Salem, two councilors defended attending a Palestinian protest. The councilors said they are supporters of peace on both sides in the escalating conflict and did not regret being at the event. Organizers said the protest, which attracted about 150 people, was of the Israeli government's counterattacks in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the United States' ongoing support of Israel's actions.

See related: Salem City Councilors Defend Palestinian Protest Presence

Worcester Council Votes To Support Israel Hostages With Some Dissent

Palestinian Flag Raised Outside Worcester City Hall